Remembering the Past Why do we still need to remember events from so long ago?

What is this and what is it for? Remembering the Past What is this and what is it for? It is a poppy. We wear a poppy to remember people whose lives are affected by wars.

100 years ago, there was a terrible war called the First World War. Remembering the Past 100 years ago, there was a terrible war called the First World War. It started in 1914 and didn’t end until 1918. Millions of people across the world fought in that war, including many from Britain. Millions of people were killed or injured.

Remembering the Past After the War was over, people wanted to help and remember all those who had been hurt or killed.

Nothing survived except one flower- the poppy. Remembering the Past In places where the war was fought, buildings and towns were destroyed by the fighting. Nothing survived except one flower- the poppy. That flower was the poppy which grew on the battlefields in all the mud. For many people it became a symbol of hope because it survived when everything else was completely destroyed.

Remembering the Past People started to wear the poppy to remember those people who had fought in the war, in the hope that nothing as terrible would ever happen again. It is the job of a charity called Poppyscotland to make and sell the poppies we wear today. Every year, nearly 5 million are hand made by ex-servicemen in a factory in Edinburgh.

Remembering the Past Rather than wear the poppy all year round, it was decided that it should be worn around the time the First World War ended to help remember those who had been killed or injured.

Remembering the Past The First World War ended on 11th November 1918 and we have held Remembrance events in November every year since then. We remember not only the First World War, but all other wars since then. Can you think of some other more recent wars?

The poppy is a symbol of hope and Remembrance. Remembering the Past The poppy is a symbol of hope and Remembrance. It reminds us of all those people whose lives are affected by wars and asks us to think of these people. It makes us think about how important peace is in all our lives. Have a moment of reflection. Ask the pupils to think about someone they may know who has served in the armed forces or just think about all those who have served or currently serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Merchant Navy.